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You Too Can Be A Rebel Or An Outcast And Still Come Out Shining For The Cause.
Ironic isn't it that a synthetic cloth of non-eco-responsible fibers is one of the pillars of the green community. It just goes to show you that you can be a rebel or an outcast and still come out shining for the cause. So what is this darling of the greens, microfiber, actually all about? In a nutshell it is a polyester/polyamide cloth that can hold 7 times its weight in water, yet performs best when using little water - just a bit of dampness is all it actually requires to outperform scouring pads. Another contradiction, but we will get to that later. The woven fibers are quite thin, less than 1 denier per filament. Denier is a unit of measurement of linear density or simply put a measure of fiber fineness. The smaller the number, the finer the filament. A typical description of these filaments is that they are 100 times finer than human hair. Microfiber for all of its seemingly wimpy characteristics - exquisite drapability, exceptional softness, supreme thinness, and all that talk about holding its shape well, is, in fact, an insidiously fierce cleaning machine.
Hospitals are its champion, as are commercial cleaners and other rough sorts. Several studies have shown that microfiber textiles clean on a nanno-scale compared to conventional cloths. When it comes to reducing the number of bacteria on a surface, the ratio is quite astounding - microfiber reduces bacteria by 99% while conventional cleaning cloths reduce bacteria by only 33%. The reason for this lies in the inherent quality of these woven fibers. They have the capacity to create a vacuum like suction and retain the moisture it absorbs as well. It cleans but does not disinfect so the use of disinfectants are still necessary. The eco-friendly component of using microfiber for cleaning purposes really comes by a state of omission - it performs better with less water, it works best without cleaning fluids, it can be used 3000 times before it loses its capabilities, it doesn't like to be dried in the dryer and so on.
So we understand Microfiber’s singular attitude but like all stars it is sure to have its "care should be exercised" clause. That applies when cleaning sensitive surfaces such as any high-tech coated surface or LED and plasma screens. Due to the microfiber cloth's ability to pick up gritty particles like lint and oils, these particulates, can then in turn be transferred onto these non-hardy surfaces. So to minimize the risk of scratching or otherwise defacing such surfaces, use a flatter, or what they call a non-rugged microfiber cloth, as this type is less prone to attract and entrap small grains of offending material. However, microfiber cloths are considered superior to use on these so called sensitive surfaces than conventional clothes and to prove that Canon and Nike use them to clean lenses, etc.
Ultra Suede, which burst on the scene in the swinging 70's was the precursor to current microfiber. Microfiber had a popular run in Europe for over a decade before coming stateside. The first time I spotted microfiber was in the early 90's. I was working overseas and everyone was using it to detail their cars. My ex-husband handed me a few after using them and asked if I would these wash these microfiber cloths without any other cottons (for fear of attracting lint), no fabric softener (to avoid clogging the suction like abilities), no bleach (disintegrates the integrity of the weave) and do not put them in the dryer (further avoidance of lint and static). It was obvious to me even back then, that this cloth must be something special, as he was taking better care of it than my lingerie or finer clothing when he occasionally did the laundry. So I, for one, was not surprised to see it rise to such glowing heights.
Michelle Viggiano - Phoenix & Scottsdale Four Winds Healthy Home - Carpet & Air Duct Cleaning www.healthyhomeaz.com
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